Best centers all time nba

By HoopsHype staff October 20,

Big men have defined basketball since its inception. These are the NBA's 25 best centers who ever graced a court with their supreme skill. The center position is arguably the most important position in the game of basketball. Having a strong center means that a team has a willing interior defender who can grab rebounds, but can also score on the offensive end of the floor. The position has seen quite an evolution over the years, with centers being asked to do more than ever nowadays, so unsurprisingly, many of the best players are big men who can take control of games. But who are the best centers in NBA history? That's what we have set out to answer here, so let's take a trip down memory lane and pick out the 25 best centers in the history of the league.

Best centers all time nba

The center position has historically featured some of the most productive, tall , and talented players in basketball history, making it central to the success of many NBA teams. Defensively, the best NBA centers of all time have been responsible for protecting the rim and rebounding. From the seven-footers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain that towered over their peers and dominated, to the smaller fives like Dave Cowens and Wes Unseld that used their speed and quickness to make an impact, centers comes in all shapes and sizes. A few players such as Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan were considered but left off of this list due to their time playing primarily outside of the center position. Both played center for huge portions of the latter stages of their careers, but at their peak, they were power forwards. Join us as we take a look at the greatest centers of all time, ranked. He played for the Rockets for his entire NBA career, which lasted from to Unfortunately, Yao Ming's career was plagued by injury problems, particularly to his feet and ankles. These injuries ultimately led to his retirement from professional basketball in Johnston led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons , and also led the association in rebounding during the campaign. A six-time All-Star, Johnston won a championship in with the Warriors, averaging One of the greatest rebounders of all time, Nate Thurmond had his jersey number retired by both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double, and his dominance on the glass allowed him to become one of just four players to average at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a season. He missed a considerable portion of his career with foot problems that caused him to miss more games than he actually played in total

He was a bundle of energy in his prime, one who was a monster rebounder, best centers all time nba Getty Images. However, from birth he was indoctrinated by family into a very intense relationship with football, but has recently grown up and developed interests in all major US sports as well as a newfound love for international soccer.

Click here for our 5-on-5 debate. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. The result is our all-time NBA Top The Top will begin to roll out Wednesday. Meanwhile, we are presenting the top 10 by position.

It is very difficult for an NBA team to win a title without one of the best centers of all time on their roster. College: UCLA. NBA Debut: October 18, Kareem finished with an astonishing 38, points in his career. In addition to being the all-time leader in points, Kareem also holds the record for win shares and minutes played. Born: August 21 , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania us. Died: October 12, Aged d. College: Kansas.

Best centers all time nba

In fact, between and the award went exclusively to centers. Born: August 21 , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania us. Died: October 12, Aged d. College: Kansas. High School: Overbrook in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBA Debut: October 24,

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Despite standing just 6-foot-7, Wes Unseld was one of the most physically imposing centers ever thanks to his incredible strength and stout frame. Russell was the first player in NBA history to average 20 rebounds in a season. Ewing was a great player whose lack of team success can be attributed to the incredible competition in the Eastern Conference in the s. At Georgetown, coach John Thompson persuaded him to focus on basketball and the rest is history. Olajuwon's path is truly amazing. The player A groundbreaker in terms of bringing footwork and agility to post play. And even after his injuries and time on the Magic came to an end, he was still a very effective player with several of his later teams. Mikan averaged 23 points and 9. He occupies total pages in the NBA record books, including his point game and his season in which he averaged an eye-popping Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Email Print. Often glossed over in deification of Michael Jordan and the s Bulls is that Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back championships right in the middle of their run. The player The best center of his generation and possibly the last great center in NBA history.

By HoopsHype staff October 20, We have taken our HoopsHype 77 list and split it into five positions: point guards , shooting guards , small forwards , power forwards and centers. NBA rank: 2nd in scoring, 3rd in rebounds and blocks, 49th in assists, th in steals.

His sheer size and strength overwhelmed opponents, but he also had a deft touch around the rim and carried the Lakers to three straight NBA titles. Like Gasol, Howard was another glaring omission from the NBA75 list despite being a Top 10 rebounder ever, ranking 13th all-time in blocks and having three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Sure, much of the conversation around Chris Bosh will be related to his health troubles shortening his career, but despite that, he'll always be an all-time great. The big man formed a potent scoring twosome with George Gervin. No one before or since has stuffed box scores quite like Chamberlain did. Shaquille O'Neal is a transcendent talent with a personality that matches his colossal frame and incredible athleticism. Had he been healthy, he probably would have built a dynasty in Portland. In his year playing career, Lanier managed to make seven all-star squads. By Noam Gumerman. An MVP in his rookie season and a five-time All-Star, Unseld averaged double-figure rebounds in all but one of his 13 pro seasons. Getting the first overall pick in the draft the year after LeBron James went first may have felt like a sick joke to the Orlando Magic, but they ended up landing another superstar in Howard in the NBA Draft. Plus he has the second-best scoring average behind only Jordan. No player ever stopped him, only injuries. Dikembe Mutombo was one of the greatest defensive players ever to play the game.